C.E.M.S. TOUR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 109, 8 May 1912, Page 10

C.E.M.S. TOUR.

THE REV. J. E. WATTS-DITCH-FIELD'S JOURNEY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 29th March. In order to strengthen and extend, tho spirit of the Church of England Men's Society, tho executive invited the Rev. J. E. Watts-Ditohfield, M.A., vicar of St. James's tho Loss, Bethnal Gre,en, to undertake an eight months' tour in Australasia and New Zealand on bohalf of the society. To this request ho assented, and he sails this week, going first to Western Australia, where ho is due toward the end of April. / Mr. Watts-Ditchfield purposes spending a week in Adelaide, five weeks in Victoria, two weeks in Tasmania, five or sis in Now South Wales, two or threo weeks in Brisbane, and then cross to New ZeaI land where six weeks will be spent, lieturning to England via Vancouver ho will stay come time at Calgary, Winnipeg, and Montreal, and reach London two weeks before Christmas. "Every Bishop in Australia and New Zealand,'; said Mr. Watts-Ditchfield, "is contributing to tho success of the meetings and conferences that will bo arranged. First of all, quiet days and conferences for the clergy will tako place, and then gatherings for the men. For tho publio meetings some of tho largest halls have been engaged, and such preparations aro being furthered as will assist to deepen the interest of Churchmen in tho work of the society. Wo have already a largo number of members in Australia and New Zealand, but tho committee hope to increase this number, and also to emphasise the^ spiritual note in the objects of the soeiotj-. It was started with tho desiro to increase the devotion and work of Churchmen, to bind them together in a common purpose, and to oncourago that co-opera-tion in Church agencies that has characterised Nonconformity. We do not as a (Society dictato tho character of the work each member should undertake, nor do wo confine it along particular channels. If ho is interested in missionary propaganda, wo roinind him that the Church Missionary Society, the society for tho propagation of the Gospcl,/or the Universities' Mission are carrying on this agency, and that he will obtain information and help from either of these organisations. "Wo aro anxious that in tho colonies, as at Home, Church work ehould not bo represented by whist drives or other similar thing*, but that membership in tho society should mean a great power for righteousness. We desire not only members, but quality, and to create a strong moral 'and religious conscience which will affect the whole public life of the colonies. It is in this spirit that the society has arranged tho tour."